A special CBI court Friday expressed displeasure over the manner in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s close aide and BJP leader Amit Shah has been seeking exemptions from appearing before it. Shah had moved an application through his lawyer Robin Mogera claiming he had to attend important party meeting in New Delhi.

Shah, an accused in the alleged fake encounter of Tulsiram Prajapati, had moved an application to excuse himself from appearing before the court in past as well. The CBI opposed the plea and said the applications were being filed in a mechanical manner and were not specific. “Shah is engaged in political work in New Delhi and therefore not about to come to court,” read the application, which was submitted to the court by Mogera.

“Every time you are giving an exemption application without assigning any reason,” said special CBI judge J T Utpat after CBI counsel B P Raju opposed Shah’s exemption application.

The court, however, adjourned the matter till July 4 and ordered Shah to be present before it on the next date.

On June 6, Shah had moved an application seeking exemption on health grounds, claiming he was highly diabetic and required to undergo certain medical tests. On May 9, Utpat had issued summons to all the accused, including Shah, in the case.

Prajapati was an accomplice of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, who was also gunned down in an alleged fake encounter in 2005. Tulsiram was killed in a similar operation in 2006. Of the 38 accused, 12, including Shah, were not present Friday citing different reasons such as ill health or personal engagements.

Some of them filed bail pleas, which the court is expected to hear on June 30. On June 25, the court is expected to pass an order on the discharge application filed by Shah in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case.